Never Promised You a Rose Garden
by Collen DeWitt
Summary: *The end is here! Please r/r, I know it's been awhile but please read* Tyler and Val rush into a fire, though only one of them comes out..... r
1. Dire Consequences

In a Heartbeat  
  
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden  
  
***  
  
Chapter One - "Dire Consequences"  
  
"Hank, the police and the firefighters aren't going to make it on time." Tyler argued. Behind them a fire ripped apart an apartment building.  
  
"We can't go in , Tyler. It isn't protocol."  
  
"Look, Jamie did it and was fine. If he was here he'd do it again. I'm not going to let those people die in there." Tyler sighed. He was right. If Jamie had been here, instead of sick at home he would try and save the people in the building. How could he not do the same?  
  
"No ,Tyler."  
  
"Fine. Then can we at least get supplies ready until the firemen get here?"  
  
"Alright." Hank turned to go to the rig. Tyler turned to the fire. Suddenly a hand fell on his shoulder.  
  
"If you go in there I'm going too."  
  
"Val…"  
  
"I'm going." she said forcefully.  
  
"Okay come on." He said as the two ran into the fire and into fate.  
  
***  
  
"Hello?" Tyler called . The fire blazed around them. Thick smoke felt as if it was going to suffocate the him. "Anyone here?"  
  
He breathed a breath of air on the ground and stood up, looking for survivors.  
  
"Tyler!" he heard Val call in the distance.  
  
Already the smoke had wrapped it's arms around him. Threatening to strangle him. He fell to the ground again. "Tyler." she called. He made his way to her.   
  
"I found some one, a little boy.." she replied. The boy lay in the corner, huddled under debris.  
  
"Help me get him out." he said to Val. Together they pushed the hot debris off the boy. He moaned softly. Val checked his pulse. "It's very weak, we have to get him out of here."  
  
"Alright , you go. I'll be right behind you."  
  
"Tyler-"  
  
"Go!" he yelled.  
  
Overhead the ceiling was weak. Fire was slowly eating it apart. He never saw it coming. The ceiling collapsed on Tyler, before he had the chance to get out.  
  
***  
What do you think?  
  



	2. Knocking on Death’s Door

In a Heartbeat  
  
Never Promised You a Rose Garden  
  
***  
  
Chapter Two - Knocking on Death's Door  
  
  
He was so tired and his head hurt. More then once he felt like he was slipping away. And why not? The temptation to fall into darkness engulfed him……so he did.  
  
***  
  
Val sat in the uncomfortable hospital chairs waiting for word on Tyler. She shook out the memory of what Tyler had looked like coming out of the fire…. He had so many burns and trouble breathing…- No Val though to herself he'll be fine. But she blamed herself. Instead of going into the fire with Tyler she should have reasoned with him. Forced him not to go it. Hank quickly turned his gaze from her. He blamed her too. Himself as well.  
  
"Don't die Tyler." she said to herself.  
  
***  
  
"This is the life." Jamie said to himself. Positioned all day on the sofa, watching bad daytime TV and eating junk.   
  
"Mine if I interrupt paradise?" said Caitie walking in the back door. She walked over and kissed him. "Sick huh?"  
  
A pathetic look fell on his face. "Deathly ill."  
  
She threw a pillow at him. "Sure you are."  
  
He sat up. "I have to get this place cleaned before Super Peter gets home."  
  
"Don't look at me."  
  
"Come on Caitie. I'll make it worth your wild." he leaned over an kissed her.  
  
Caitie shook her head playfully. "You'll have to do better than that."  
  
The pathetic look fell again. "Okay, Okay."  
  
*Ring, Ring*  
  
Jamie leaned over Caitie and kissed her again picking up the phone." Hello? Val? Yeah she's here hold on."  
He handed the phone to Caitie.  
  
" Hi , Val. what's wrong? Okay calm down. Jamie and I will leave right now …okay?…." she hung up.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"It's Tyler…."  
  
***  
  
I know , I know I'm evil. But I'm a sucker foe cliffhanger. More to come soon….  



	3. Will Death Let Me In?

In a Heartbeat  
  
Never Promised You a Rose Garden  
A/N sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I'm been really busy the past few weeks and when I did sit down to write I got distracted or had writer's block. But I'm back now, and I will try to write more often, if neone is still interested in this story and Men Plan, God Laughs.  
  
***  
  
Chapter Three - " Will Death Let Me In?"  
  
Hank tapped his foot nervously against the chair. He wished he could go and talk to Tyler's doctor. Something; anything ,to make the waiting stop. But, his dad had said, "No special treatment." So, he'd sit while the cold hands of guilt wrapped it's arms around him. Threatening to strangle , Hank at any instant. He was head EMT. He was supposed to look out for them. He should have know Tyler would go into the building. He should have stopped him.   
  
He should have….  
  
He should have…  
  
***  
  
Jamie and Caite arrived breathlessly to the hospital. "Is he ok? " Jamie asked Val.  
  
The blond looked tired, worn out, and scared. "We're still waiting on word."  
  
Caitie had never really known Tyler that well, and truthfully never really liked him. But she knew Val an and how this was probably affecting her. "It'll be okay Val. I'm sure Tyler's fine." she sat down next to Val and gave Jamie a look that told him to go to Hank.  
  
***  
  
Tyler desperately tried to find his way though the labyrinth of his mind. It was as if he was walking around a forest. Searching for a way out; hoping there was one. But when night fell there, the urge to sleep was too great. And the steady beat of the heart monitor went flat.  
  
***  
  
The doctor walked somberly to chairs. "Mr. and Mrs. Connell?"  
  
Tyler's tearstained mother stood up. "This is my second husband, William Stein. Do you have any news on my son?"  
  
"Yes-"  
  
***  
  
A/N I did it again. Sorry, cliffhangers are tempting. Well, I promise you'll find out what happened to Tyler soon….or maybe not. Lol I guess you'll have to keep reading! =)  
  
  



	4. They Say You Can Never Come Home Again

?  
  
In a Heartbeat  
  
Chapter Four- "They Say You Can Never Come Home Again"  
  
***  
  
Finally the fog of night lifted and daylight shown.   
  
He opened his eyes and saw her sitting in a chair by his bed,. Only she wasn't sitting. The upper part of her body lay sprawled across his legs. His blue eyes wandered curiously across the room. He struggled to remember the fire… Tyler's mind was to hazy. He could only remember the few times he had been conscious . Doctors, Nurses and his parent's worried faces.  
  
He didn't know why they were so worried. He was fine. A few burns from the fire and that was all.  
  
Right?  
  
  
  
Val moaned softly as she opened her eyes. Her slender body sat up, rubbing the sleep from them. She reached for the coffee when she saw him.  
  
"Tyler?"  
  
He smiled weakly, confined past the tubes and machines that held him to the bed and this earth. Tyler motioned to his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.  
  
"The doctors put a tube down your throat. That's why you can't talk." she muttered, reaching over to hug him. He winced slightly. Sharp pain was starting to go through his chest and arms. But not in his legs- before the pain in them was so intolerable that it was beyond words, now they felt like they weren't there.  
  
Val noticed, "I think your pain meds are wearing off. I'll get the nurse."  
  
Tyler nodded slowly to her and watched Val leave the room. He noticed that his room was located right outside the nurses station. Was he in ICU? How bad off am I? He wondered as he drifted back into the world of night.  
  
***  
  
"Honey?….Tyler wake up…"  
  
Tyler heard vaguely. He didn't want to wake up. Sleeping meant not knowing. He didn't want to find out what was wrong. If he didn't open his eyes, then he could go on pretending that the pain in his chest and arms was nothing to worry about, that numbness in his legs was normal. That-  
  
"Tyler, please don't go! Sweetie, I need you !" he heard his mother yell. "Doctor do something! Don't let my son die."  
  
Die? What was she talking about? He certainly wasn't dying. The fog and night was just letting him sleep. Where he was couldn't be heaven.  
  
Could it?  
  
  
"We're doing the best we can." a female voice called , then turned to someone else. "Get her out of here."  
  
"Charge to fifty!"  
  
"Clear!"  
  
He didn't want to die.   
  
***  
  
Jamie sighed as he sat down next to Hank. "How is he?"  
  
Hank rubbed his neck and let out a breath. "It's the second time he's crashed. The doctors are trying to start his heart."  
  
"Damn it." Jamie muttered. He didn't know how to deal with what was happening to Tyler. Normally he just laughed or made a joke. But when things became serious , he didn't know what to say or do. He was just a puppet. Whose motions and actions were just at the hands of someone else.   
  
"Have you seen Val or Caitie?" Hank questioned.  
  
"Mrs. Stein sent her home with Caitie."  
  
"Good… She hasn't been getting any sleep."  
  
"Yeah." Jamie nodded. "Want some coffee?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Okay, I'll be right back." he said , relieved to be getting away.  
  
*  
  
  
~Five days later~  
  
*Ring*  
  
Sleepily Val turned around and faced the clock. 4 am. She clumsily reached for the phone, knocking down several items to the floor as well. "Hello?"  
  
"Val, it's Tyler." Jamie spoke.  
  
She sat up quick. "He's okay, right? He's not…dead?"  
  
Jamie laughed happily. 'No, no he is okay. Actually he just woke up, and the doctor thinks that if no more infections set in, he should be okay…but there are some complications…"  
  
"I'll be right there."  
  
***  
  
"Mom, why isn't anyone telling me anything?" Tyler asked, the tube finally out of his mouth.  
  
"Not telling you what?" the woman replied innocently.  
  
"Mom."  
  
"We don't want to worry you honey. Maybe in a couple more days."  
  
"Please?"  
  
*  
  
  
"You received some first and second degree burns from the fire. However our main concern is you legs."  
  
"What's wrong with them?"  
  
"You damaged part of you spine. Leaving you now, paralyzed from the waist down. We did surgery on it, but we haven't been able to repair it completely."  
  
Tyler felt as if the ceiling had fallen on him again. Paralyzed? He had know something was with his legs….but not this.   
  
"Will I walk again?"  
  
"Until the swelling goes down, we can't be sure. However, you're young and strong. In time, perhaps you may get back some mobility."  
  
May? If? Some? How could he not walk? He tried to imagine life confined to a wheelchair. All the things he loved , would only be a memory. Football. Being an EMT. Val. He doubt she'd want a boyfriend who couldn't walk. Sure, at first she'd say it was fine. But in time, he knew she'd drift away.   
  
***  
A/N: See, you guys finally find out what's wrong with Tyler. I bet you thought he was going to die. Well, I hope you liked this chapter. Let me know what you think. =)   
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. It Just Gets Worse Doesn’t It?

Never Promised You a Rose Garden  
Chapter Five : "It Just Get's Worse Doesn't It?"  
  
***  
  
"How long will I stay here?" Tyler asked looking at the doctor.  
  
"Well, if you walk again, it'll take a long time, son. But, you're mother and friends say you're strong. Maybe a month or so." The doctor said methodically. It didn't matter to him. It wasn't his life, his legs. All he cared about was that he had two more months till his pension and he'd be free. Free to do the things that fifty- five year old men do when it's time to retire.   
  
"How is the kid Val and I saved?" the doctor smiled happy to be giving good news for once. "Just fine. We released him a few days ago."  
  
"That's good." he replied. At least all this counted for something. The funny thing was he'd do it again.   
  
'Do you want to see some of your friends?" his mother asked. She was always there. Everyday, every single hour is she could. Of course Tyler understood, if you're only son almost died what would you do? Still it was getting on his nerves. She made it feel like he couldn't do anything anymore. Which wasn't true. He'd be walking in no time.   
  
"Sure," he said sleepily from pain medication he'd just received.  
  
"See what happens when I try to play the hero?" Tyler joked as his friends walked into the room.  
  
"Yeah Jamie said teasingly.   
  
He hadn't expected Tyler to look like that. So, thin and pale, tied to machines and oxygen. Before Val had only been allowed to see him, (to everyone in the hospital she was know as his cousin). It was strange seeing the EMT now the patient. Jamie sighed. If he had been at work that night instead of at home maybe things would have turned out better. "Leave it to the professional." he continued joking. They all remembered the time Jamie had saved the kid and the dog from danger.  
  
Hank felt uneasy being in the room. It was his fault that Tyler was in this mess. The maybes and the what ifs kept playing over and over in his mind. Why wasn't he more forceful? Anyone else could see that Val and Tyler were fixing to go back in. And was that really wrong? Why hadn't he gone in too? His rules and morals kept him from saving his best- friend.   
  
The blond smiled to herself. She could tell Tyler's every move and every thought. She knew that it was tearing him apart letting his friends see him like this. But, he put on the brave front concealing a mask of denial and depression.   
  
***  
  
"Hey dad."  
  
"Son," the elder replied as he turned off his cell phone. "What are we doing about his recovery?" he asked Anna Connell- Stein  
  
"Well Michael it'll take a few months, maybe even a few years."  
  
"So why did you send for me all the way in New York." he turned to Tyler. "And how could you be so stupid as to run into a burning building?"  
  
"Michael!"  
  
"Don't yell at me Anna."  
  
"He almost died." she sighed. " I guess it was stupid of me to think you could care about you're son- or anyone else for that matter."  
  
"Oh, come off it. You know I care about Ty, just as much as you do."  
  
"Really." she said sarcastically.  
  
Fighting. It was what they did best. He remembered life before the divorce. Dad would always be at work, never at home - and then the affair. Still his dad was a good guy. His mother just didn't try hard enough.  
  
"I'm sure dad's, just tired from the plane ride." Tyler put it.  
  
"Yeah." Michael agreed. "Ill see you later."  
  
"Yeah, bye."  
  
"Why do you always stand up for him?" his mother asked angrily.  
  
"How come you never did?"  
  
She sighed again. He blamed her for the divorce. Always did.  
  
"William said he's stop by later."  
  
"Great," he replied in mock enthusiasm.  
"You know he's always been there for you."  
  
"So has dad."  
  
"No he-"   
  
"I won't hate him for you."  
  
***  
  
A/N So does anyone still care about this story? I didn't get much reviews for Men Plan God Laughs….well let me know if this chapter is ok.  
  



	6. What Happens When the Fairy Tale Ends?

In a Heartbeat  
Chapter six  
"What Happens When the Fairy Tale Ends?"  
  
***  
  
"Thank you." Tyler smiled flakily while the visitor returned a smile just a fake and completely insincere.  
  
Val giggled in the chair next to him. "I think that was the worst one yet."  
  
"No, James Cadwell was the worst. Remember what he said? Don't worry Tyler I'll take you're place on the team." Tyler smiled back.  
  
"Or Tom Wallaces asking you if I was free to date other guys now."  
  
The smile faded into the dark world it had come from. "Maybe you should."  
  
Val rolled her blue eyes. 'How many times do I have to tell you I don't want too."  
  
"The prom is coming up and I obviously can't take you . You should have someone to go with."  
  
"I'm not going without you. And that's final."  
  
"But-"  
  
She reached over and placed a kiss on his lips. "That's final."   
  
***  
  
It was hard working at the station now. He blamed himself for Tyler's accident, Jamie and Val blamed themselves too.  
And also it was different being in charge. What if something went wrong again? What if someone was killed this time? Also Tyler's replacement was, to put it lightly, hard to deal with. Especially considering who it was. The Goth Queen herself- Caitlin Roth. Socking wasn't it? She had insisted signing up for the squad , the very next day after it happened. Supposedly Caitie said she wanted to do something for Tyler. The boy she despised and wondered what Jamie and Val saw in him. Hank shook in his head, the girl was full of surprises.  
  
***  
  
"Close you're eyes it's a surprise." Caitie Roth whispered cheerfully sounding much like her blond- haired friend.   
  
"Another one? Caitie if you tell me that you've decided to become a cheerleader I'm going to kill you." Jamie joked.  
  
"Damn, you guessed it." her enthusiasm dropping.  
  
"What!"  
  
"Just kidding." she grinned and uncovered his eyes. "Here."  
  
Underneath the school bleacher Caitie had created a candle light dinner. "Like it?"  
  
"You never ceased -"  
  
A loud wine of his beeper went off. "We gotta go." he said as Caitie's beeper joined in unison .  
  
"Damn it. I'll never get used to those things."  
  
He laughed, "Come on."  
  
***  
  
"I'm not going home?" Tyler replied angrily.  
  
"Well honey, you're father, William, and I think that the rehab center would be better for you. Where people are more acceptable to take care of you."  
  
Tyler winced. Oh yeah, people had to take care of him now. How could he forget? Amongst the pain, pills, at seventeen years old he couldn't even go to the bathroom himself.  
  
It didn't matter anyway, he had a plan. Two days ago he had begun hoarding his pain pills. Tyler knew he was being a coward, but he didn't care. The guilt, hurt, and his parents was just to much. Besides everyone would be happier when he was gone. They could go back to their lives. He was going it for them really.  
  
Really….  
  
***  
So what do you think? An ok chapter?? Look for a sequel to Men Plan, God Laughs  



	7. Everything Must End at Some Point...Righ...

In a Heartbeat  
  
"Everything Must End at Some Point…Right?"  
  
***  
  
It seemed like a good idea really. Tyler thought to himself. Sure, many people had been in his position before and had lived successful lives, but living in a wheel chair was something he could not deal. It would mean giving up everything he loved, only to make them take care for him when he couldn't even get up to go to the bathroom himself. No life had played a cruel card, and dealt a hand Tyler was determined not to play.  
  
He laughed to himself. When he was in the fire and even after he had begged to live, now it didn't seem so bad. However he retained a calm exterior, but inside he grew more and more depressed. Especially whenever the rehab center was mentioned. "It'll help meeting other people with the same problem as you, Tyler." or "They'll be able to understand you're situation." His parents, William, or the doctor's would say.  
  
"When do you go?" Hank asked questioningly as Tyler's other friends pilled into his room.  
  
"A few days."  
  
"Maybe it'll be fun?" Brook said cheerfully.  
  
"Sure tons." Tyler said sarcastically.  
  
"Well, now that I'm a official member of the summer squad." Caitie put it. "I brought pizza for everyone."  
  
"I still don't believe it." hanks aid with a shake of his head.  
  
"You don't?" Jamie laughed. "I'm her boyfriend and she still surprises me."  
  
"That's my charm."  
  
Val look up. Distracted, separate from the group almost. "Um, could you guys leave Tyler and I alone for a sec?"  
  
Hank, Brooke, Jamie, and Caitie gathered their things and left the room.  
  
"Why did u want them to leave?" he said as a smile spread across his face. "Oh, I know-"  
  
"I have to see something. " she interrupted.   
  
She cast a suspicious glance his way and began to open the draw by his bed and took everything out. She took the white bundle out and Tyler's heart skipped a beat. Val then dropped the pills in his hand one by one.  
  
"Take 'em."  
  
"Val…"  
  
"I knew it." she said with tears in her eyes, but behind that was a look of contempt, disgust, and fear. " Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you had not intention of taking them."  
  
He looked at her blankly. All his reasons, excuses really, disappeared and he was left "holding the bag" - a coward.  
"Val-I-" he began again.  
  
"You were going to kill you're self weren't you."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I can't even tell you how much of a fuckin' ass you are right now." She said angrily. "When you first got here were praying for you to live, even though the doctors said you probably wouldn't. You're mom was inconsolable. And now you're going to kill your self and break her- my heart all over again?"  
  
"I can't spend my life in a wheelchair Val."  
  
"Who says you will? That's why you have to go to rehab Tyler. But you have to try and walk again."  
  
"But-"  
  
"God Tyler, life isn't perfect. Life never promised you a rose garden, filled with only good times. Sometimes you don't always get what you want. But, if you take those pills you'll never find out what life had in store for you and I for one will never forgive you."  
  
***  
Thanks to Val for her help. 


	8. The Same Old Songs Play Over And Over

In a Heartbeat  
"The Same Old Songs Play Over And Over"  
  
***  
  
"Never promised you a rose garden," indeed .Tyler laughed sarcastically to himself. He had been in the rehab center for two months. The prom and junior year had past and Tyler had missed all of it. Senior year, filled with the excitement of finally being on your own, college and the complement of twelve long years of school; he was going to miss that too. It didn't matter anyway. He wasn't apart of that world anymore. Val wasn't talking to him and though they tried, Jamie, Hank, and Caitie were just to busy to make the long trip to visit him.   
  
"You know Tyler, there are two ways of getting out of here. Walking or in that chair, which do you choose?" Said Mark , Tyler's physical therapist painfully stretching the muscles in his legs.  
  
"You say the same thing every day." he spoke through gritted teeth.  
  
"And you never listen. You could walk again if you just tried."  
  
"Yeah right." Tyler sat up. "Are you done?"  
  
Mark sighed. "Yea. Need help getting back in the chair?"  
  
"Nah," he said as he left the room.  
  
After the session Tyler headed to the cafeteria hoping that some of his new friends were there. He felt sorry for Mark, he knew that they the guy was just trying to help, but in the past few months the depression that had led him to contemplate suicide had grown. He wasn't himself anymore and frankly he didn't really care. Besides his father was coming visit and that was much more hell than the world he had created for himself.  
  
***  
  
"Tyler!" the voice yelled through the maze of smoke. It should have been the six year old Tyler, but it was him, reaching his hand out; another fire, another time. "Matt! Where are u? Mat-"  
  
"Tyler? You okay?" another voice called out.  
  
"Matt!"  
  
"Don't you say his name." the voice stiffened.  
  
Tyler opened his eyes and looked around. The familiar tubes and wires were back. "It's about time." He said to himself.  
  
"What happened?" he said avoiding the word that was never said in his family, Matt.  
  
The voice of his father softened a little bit and he sighed a breath of relief, Matt wouldn't be mentioned. "You had pneumonia."  
  
"Great, there goes all that therapy you paid for."  
  
"Don't be smart. You'll just have to work harder."  
  
"Yeah. Would have been better if it killed me though."  
  
Michael Connell couldn't help but smile. His son was just like him, the same sarcastic humor. However, that take on life, would lead to destruction. It's what broke up his marriage…and the other thing…. People like he and Tyler, when horrible things happen, they stop caring, stop feeling. They let their fear and doubt eat away at them.  
  
"Like you wish I did after the fire." Tyler continued.  
  
"You ran into that fire to save that boy. I didn't wish you dead."  
  
"No.. the other one." his voice drifted away, the fever and delirium were starting to come back.  
  
"Tyler-"  
  
"You blame me for it. That's why you wouldn't let me come live with you after the divorce."  
  
"You were only six. It wasn't your fault."  
  
"That's what everyone keeps saying, but you and I both know that the fire and Matt's death was my fault and you blame me for it."  
  
"Enough! " the elder spoke exasperated. "Just concentrate on learning how to walk again so you can take care of yourself."  
  
So the cold father who never called, never wrote, never visited was back. Some things never change.  
  
***  
  
So how do u like it? Um, I couldn't find the first chapter of this story on my computer so if Tyler's dad's name is different let me know. 


	9. Could Things Be Looking Up?

In a Heartbeat  
  
Never Promised You a Rose Garden  
  
"Could Things Be Looking Up?"  
  
***  
  
"Do you realize how annoying you are?'  
  
Tyler sat up eagerly. He had just returned to rehab after his bought with pneumonia and all of his efforts to regain use in his legs had failed- as immeasurable as they where- was lost.  
  
"Val?" he uttered, shaking his head not believing she was there.  
  
"Very good. So you haven't become completely brain dead."  
  
"What are you doing here I thought you -"  
  
"I hated you? I did for awhile and I still can't believe that you would ever want to kill yourself. But, I also love you and because of that I couldn't say away."  
  
Tyler couldn't believe it. After all that had happened, months and months of being apart so he simple asked… "How was the prom?"  
  
She smiled at him, he could be so cute sometimes. "It was…an experience."  
  
"That bad huh?"  
  
"Well I ended up going with Dean and all he talked about was sports, himself, his car, himself and all I could think about was you. Needless to say it was a pretty uneventful night."  
  
Tyler smiled to himself happy that she hadn't forgotten him.  
  
"So, are you okay now?"  
  
"Well the pneumonia's gone it that's what you mean."  
  
"That's good. Now all you need to do is start walking."  
  
"Before or after hell freezes over?"  
  
"Before please." she grinned and reached into her pocket. "I got you a present."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"A gift for being born silly. You didn't remember your own birthday?"  
  
"Well let's see what it is." he said ripping the paper off.  
  
"It's a picture of us on our on our first date. Remember? It was you're birthday and you invited me to eat dinner with your parents."  
  
"And I acted like a total jerk."  
  
"Naturally."  
  
"Thanks Val."  
  
"No problem. Now you have to do a favor for me."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"See my parents have a wedding anniversary coming up in three months and they want to get married again. The church, bridesmaids and a reception. I was hoping you could escort me and be my dance partner?"  
  
"Val you know I won't be walking in three months to dance with you."  
  
" Well if you'd try-"  
He turned sharply in her direction giving Val a look of frustration, anger, and defiance. She had hoped her offer would be a push for him to try and walk, now she realized that any pushing would have to be from Tyler himself.  
  
"Alright. But I'd still like you'd to come."  
  
***  
  
That night the dream came to him. The feeling of it, the fire, smoke, the endless calling for a brother who would never come, it filled his night and days… 


	10. What the Hell is Going On?

In a Heartbeat  
  
"What the Hell is Going On?"  
  
A/N: Finally the conclusion of Never Promised You a Rose Garden….  
  
  
***  
  
Tyler woke up in a cold sweat, he kept having the nightmare over and over.  
  
Mom and Dad had gone out for their anniversary and had left them alone with a babysitter. Tyler had been six and his little brother, Matt, five. The two had been incredibly close, though even then Tyler could sense a favoritism for Matt over him. Not from his Mom, she loved them both equally but from his Dad it was obvious that he didn't like Tyler much. Still Tyler craved for his father's love.  
  
Little Tyler had heard them arguing about him in the night when they thought he wouldn't be able to hear. But he always did. He reminded Mike Connell of everything he hated about himself. Matt was everything he loved about his wife.  
  
Anyway the babysitter hadn't been a good one and had fallen asleep on the couch. Matt had decided to start playing with the matches. Then suddenly,  
  
Strike!  
  
He had lit one and in fear had dropped it to the ground. Tyler ran away then, ignoring his brother's cries for help. Tyler just knew that Daddy would find some way to make it his fault.  
  
  
"Ty!" he heard Matt's screams, though still using his nickname for Tyler. The screams grew more frantic, more desperate. Tyler turned and ran back into the flames, but it was too late…  
  
***  
  
"You're looking well" spoke Michael Connell approaching his son. Another time, another dream another nightmare.  
  
"Dad, I want to talk to you." Tyler tensed up. His heart racing. But he went on, he needed to know the truth. "About Matt."  
  
"Tyler-"  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Alright go on."  
  
" I'm sorry about what happened, and that I know you wish I died instead of Matt. We both know he was-"  
  
Mike shook his head. "I know it always seemed that way but I loved you both, it's just that you were-are so much like me and I didn't need that at the time."  
  
"So, you didn't wish that I was the one who died in the fire? You didn't blame me for it?" Tyler spoke feeling much like a little boy again.  
  
"No, I never though that. I wish you could answer me."  
Tyler smiled back, then though to himself didn't he just answer him?  
  
  
In the real world  
As in dreams  
Nothing is quite as  
It seems…  
  
Morning come, but it felt different somehow to Tyler as if he had been sleeping for along time and was just now getting up,   
  
"Tyler?" he heard a voice call. He tried to answer, but he couldn't speak, it was Val, leaning over him. Her hair was longer and she looked older somehow.  
  
"You're awake!" she was excited now, to take in everything at once. "I'll go get Dr. Robinson."  
  
  
***  
  
"Happened?" Tyler asked his brain was fuzzy and it took him a long time to think of what to say.  
  
"You were in a coma for a year and a half." the doctor spoke  
  
A year? What about the everything that happened?  
  
"Fire?"  
  
"Yes, you were in a fire, you saved a little boy's life."  
  
"I was par..par" his brow scrunched up in frustration. I was paralyzed, there it was simple ; he could say it in his head. "I was par- paral" he tried again.  
  
"Paralyzed?" she said. "Yes, there is some damage done to you spinal cord as well as some minor brain damage. However with time I believe, you will walk again as well as talk and act normally. But , Tyler" She turned to Mrs. Connell-Stein and William " -will never be exactly how he was before."  
  
Over the next few days he begun to realize that his reality was sort of a dream he had created by what he heard in the a coma, conversations with people actually happened , but not how Tyler imagined it.  
  
"Tyler?" Val said approaching his bed.  
  
"Hi." he grinned.  
  
"I can't believe your ok." she said her eyes tearing still.  
  
"You want me go to parent wedding?"  
  
"You heard me say that?" Val remembered that she wanted him to walk up so badly and she said that in some desperate ploy to make him wake up. "Your hand jerked , and I thought you understood me and was going to wake up. The doctor just said that that sort of thing just happened sometimes, but I knew you had understood me."   
  
Tyler nodded, "I did I think." She leaned over and kissed him, "I love you, an I'm so glad that you wake up."   
  
He was glad too, but one year had been taken from his life . It might not seem like much to a normal person but he had missed his junior and senior year of high school. Jamie, who had opted to graduate a year early, and Caitie had surprised everyone by getting married, Hank had gotten excepted to Harvard, Val, Berkley and Brooke was in high school. Even his family had changed. His mother and William had a baby girl named Madison and Mike Connell was engaged. Frankly, it seemed to Tyler that everyone had gotten on pretty well with out him. How could he step back in to this strange life where nothing was the same and nothing was right. He'd have to face long faceless months of learning how to walk, talk, and think normally again as well as a year and a half missed of school. And then there was his dad and Matt.   
  
It always came back to that.  
  
  
"Hi son." he dad spoke, looking happier then Tyler had ever seen him.  
  
"Dad."  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"I ok." he spoke the words still jumbled. "I heard you said. Thanks for forgiving me."  
  
"I love you son. I think we both should put away our guilt of Matt's death. It was neither our faults it was just something that happed.."  
  
"Okay."  
  
And as simple as that years of resentment , pain , was resolved. Not forgotten but simple put away. Besides, Tyler had a wedding to attend…  
  
***  
  
That's it good ? Bad? 


End file.
